Line Paintings

In Kindergarten, as part of our line art series, we created a painting using various lines.  This was our first artwork in the line art series.  We started by working together on a worksheet where we practiced drawing various lines, some we were familiar with and others we were not- it was great! Then, the students drew their favorite lines on our Fancy paper and outlined their lines with oil pastels of ANY color, that was an exciting thing!

  The next day, we took our paints and then painted in between our lines.  Some students became so swept up in the excitement of painting that they went all over their paper, but it's understandable... it's painting!  They did a great job working and focusing on trying their best with their painting.

Here are some paintings:

Perspective Shapes

  In Third grade, we discussed perspective and how artists can use perspective in their work.  We looked at some artworks that used different types of perspective and how it helped to show distance, we even explored a bit of optical illusion artworks using perspective.  Students then were able to practice drawing in their sketchbooks using perspective and shapes.

  For our final artwork, students created a collage of papers they cut out and placed to create one point perspective.  They had a lot of fun with this style of artwork.

Here are a few of our works:

Self Portrait Prints

In fifth grade we looked at how artists create different prints.  We used an iPad app that allowed us to take an image of ourselves and then place a filter onto the photo that created a posterized look.  After we printed our photo, students colored over their image with various colors of oil pastels- they were encouraged to reflect on themselves and what colors they feel represent their personalities or likes.

 After students finished placing color on the image, they then rubbed the photograph onto a blank paper creating a Monoprint. There were many ooo's and aaahhhh's when they peeled off their photo to reveal their printed image.  This was my first project focusing on a printing technique that did not involve brayers and printing ink, it was definitely a professional learning experience!

  Students then created a painted background using acrylic paints, whichever pattern or design they felt reflected themselves in some way.  The printed image was then cut out and glued onto their background.  Some students wrote a poem onto their artwork that was a portrait of themselves in writing, which was a great way for students to add a written element to their artwork.

Here are some of the results:

Kindergarten Color Monsters

In Kindergarten, we started the year off by reviewing/introducing the colors.  We watched some fun videos that display colors by Sony (their Bravia t.v advertisements) and then we read a book- Monsters Love Colors, by Mike Austin.

This group of kiddos were all so good at identifying all of the colors and calling them out, I think we are going to have a talent filled year in the kindergarten art room!

For the project, the students colored in circles that I had drawn onto the paper with the necessary colors.  They were then instructed to think about how they could turn their circles into monsters!  They were all very excited with the opportunity to create their own monsters, they all turned out very unique and had great details!

Here are a few of our Monster Circles:

Winter Lights

  In Third Grade we took some time for a fun project using our learning concept of Value, we created winter lights.  I've seen this project done on various art teacher blogs around the web and I knew that the kiddos would absolutely enjoy creating it.  We first created our light string- yarn glued onto our background paper, set this aside to dry and moved on to the lightbulbs.  I had created a stencil students could use if they did not want to try out their own lightbulb shape.
   We discussed the details of a lightbulb- the filament and the shine that occurs on the outside (glare).  Students used Oil Pastels to color in their lights and then used Chalk to outline around their lightbulb once it was glued onto their background paper.  The chalk was then pulled away from the lightbulb, creating a value change and the illusion of a glow.

Here are some 'in process' pictures:

Here are some final products ( I ran out of black paper so some students did it on white):

Line Sculptures

In Kindergarten we have started to discuss various types of Lines that can be created.  We started off by filling out a line worksheet and talking about the lines that were on it, we created a line painting, and finally we created our own Line Sculptures.  This project was a lot of fun and challenged the students to use their fine motor skills with the various types of paper folding and rolling.  They all did a great job!  I demonstrated the different ways in which they could fold their construction paper strips to achieve a different type of line.  It was up to them how they then glued their strips onto the paper, my only goal was that the line stuck up and away from the paper base.  

  We discussed what a sculpture is and how it's different from a painting or a drawing, students were then given the paper strips and glue and let loose!

Here are some of our Line Sculpture solutions:

This is a favorite of mine, a racetrack!